waiting
by enefea
Summary: What if the battle between Sasuke and Naruto at the Valley of the End ended differently? Sakura waits patiently at village gates to welcome the team. 01 /04


**Waiting**

voice of arcadia

genre. au/angst

rating. K

summary: What if the battle between Sasuke and Naruto at the Valley of the End ended differently? Sakura waits patiently at village gates to welcome the team. 01 /04

* * *

Disclaimer: What? You're asking me if I own Naruto? Well, I wish I did. But someone somewhere a few latitudes north is already the self-proclaimed owner. /leans and whispers/ but, if you ask me, I doubt he owns him. I believe Naruto has already been claimed by a certain sharingan-user who wishes to have revenge on someone. /snickers/

author's notes: First naruto fic. First time I've written in a long time. Well, I hope you guys who read this drop a review. I badly need it. No flames, though. I'm struggling and getting depressed on my acads as it is, so, lolz. nn

edit: waah!! I've reread this and noticed that there were some mistakes. Omg. I'm feeling so embarrassed. And it's been, like, months since I posted this one. So, here it is. The edited version of 'waiting'.

* * *

**Waiting**

Sakura watched grimly as five figures entered the village of Konoha and quickly made their way towards the Hokage's tower. She had been waiting patiently by the village gates ever since Naruto and his team were dispatched to bring back Sasuke. She didn't move an inch when Ino got back from her mission and persuaded her to wait at home. She had stood there even when the rain started. She just waited and hoped that everything would turn out right… prayed that Naruto would come back with Sasuke.

She should have known better.

Kakashi-sensei had sent a dog with a message in advance. As if it would make things easier.

She cursed silently. That was the last of them.

She had seen Neji and Chouji being carried into the village by some of the older shinobi. Lee had already arrived with the Sand's Gaara and Shikamaru entered the village gates with Temari while Kankuro helped take Kiba into the hospital.

That was the last of the dispatch. Sakura had hoped the message was a big mistake and decided to wait. She should have known that it was best to give up. It would have hurt less, she thought.

"Sakura-chan," a voice called softly from behind her. She turned and saw Ino. "Sakura-chan, your mother's looking for you." Ino said. Sakura stared blankly at the girl. "Come on, Sakura-chan." Ino repeated, softly this time as she tugged lightly at the girl towards the girl's home. Feeling like all life had been drained out of her, Sakura let herself be led home.

* * *

"Sakura-chan…" she heard her mother call out from her door, "Ino's here." She didn't reply. "Sakura-chan, we're coming in." Her mother said as she opened the door.

Inside, Sakura's mother and Ino saw the pink-haired shinobi sitting on her bed. She was staring at the photo she was holding. "Sakura-chan..? Ino came to see you." Sakura's mother said, smiling a bit. Ino felt a bit sorry for the woman. It must have been hard on her. "Sakura-chan..?" the pink-haired girl's mother said again.

"Oba-chan," Ino started, "It's okay. I'll talk to her." The older woman tried to protest. "It's okay, oba-chan." Ino smiled. The older woman looked at Ino's smile then to her daughter and back to Ino again. "Very well," she sighed and left the two of them.

When Sakura's mother left, Ino looked at her friend and worry began to show in her face. She approached nearer and glanced at the photo in Sakura's hands. It was a photo of team seven.

"Sakura-chan, that photo…" she said. The other girl turned to her as though noticing for the first time. The blonde felt a pang in heart as she saw the other girl's eyes. She has never seen the other girl look like this before. The Haruno Sakura she knew was very energetic and had fire in her eyes and, though there were bad times, the girl she knew never lost that fire. The girl before her had lifeless eyes, eyes that seem to see no one else.

Who was this girl?

The pink-haired shinobi was once again looking at the picture. "Sakura-chan, let's go out, ne?" Ino said, trying to keep her voice light, "Our store's selling this new type of flowers. Wanna go see?"

No response.

"How about the café near Shikamaru's home? They have this new cake I've really wanted to try for so long. Come on, let's go. I know you'll love it."

Still no response.

"Uhmm, then, wanna go eat ramen? Ichiraku's closed for the week but how about the one near Kiba's house? They say it's also good."

Still no response but Ino noticed that Sakura tightened her hold on the photo.

"Sakura-chan, please.. don't be like this." Ino pleaded, "You haven't been out for a while now. Everyone's worried about you."

No response.

"Sakura-chan, even Kakashi-sensei… he's also very worried about you. If it wasn't for Iruka-sensei, we don't know what could have happened."

No response.

"Sakura-chan.." Ino started, "It's tomorrow." Sakura's eyes widened.

"Tomorrow afternoon at-"

"Stop!" Sakura cried, shutting her eyes and covering her ears, "I don't want to hear!"

* * *

In the living room, Sakura's mother looked on worriedly upstairs after hearing her daughter shouting. She was seated on the couch and was doing some stitch work when she heard her daughter's voice. She put down her work and was about to go and find out what was happening when her husband stopped her.

"Mayumi." Her husband called. He had stopped reading the newspaper and was now looking at her. "Hai, anata?" she asked. "Don't." her husband, Kyouichiro said. She looked at him quizzically. "She's going to be fine." Her husband said again. Hearing this, Mayumi looked down at the floor.

"But, anata…" she said, "she sounds so pained." Kyouichiro stood up from the seat he was sitting on and went to near the couch, resting a hand on her wife's shoulder. "Ino is in there with Sakura," he said, "It's going to be fine."

"But-"

"We have nothing to say. We only know up to an extent. We won't make her feel better." Mayumi was silent. She knew what her husband was trying to say.

Up until a few months ago, she was still wary of the blonde child. Her husband had berated her several times whenever she panics during their daughter's missions that takes days and outside the village to complete.

But that time, that one time when she had seen the blank look in that child's eyes when she saw him in one of the stores, something in her stirred. Was it really the right thing to hate such an innocent child? She had talked to her husband about it, but he had just shaken his head sadly. They can't do anything about the others. They can only just make it up to the child.

Sighing in resignation, Mayumi placed her hand on top of her husband's.

* * *

"Stop!" Sakura cried, shutting her eyes and covering her ears, "I don't want to hear!"

"But Sakura-chan!"

"Stop it! Please stop it!" Sakura's voice was much louder, trying to drown Ino's. "Please… stop it…" Sakura said again, much softer this time that Ino barely heard. "I don't want to hear…" a few tears escaped from the pink-haired shinobi's eyes.

"Sakura-chan… it's alright.. I'm here.." Ino said, pulling the other girl into a hug. "It's not okay…" Sakura said, still crying. Ino bit her lip, "It's alright for you to cry. Don't keep it in that much. He'd never want to see you so lifeless." Hearing this, Sakura cried even harder.

"It's all my fault…"

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. Because of that stupid request.."

"No. He wanted to bring him back as much as you do. Don't blame yourself."

"But…" Sakura could not continue.

"Hush. It'll be fine." Ino said, wishing that it would be so, thinking of the photo of team seven that Sakura was holding on, "It'll be fine."

* * *

The following day, it rained. Nothing like a light drizzle on a summer day or a raging storm. It just… rained.

Sakura looked at the heavens grimly. She didn't know if the sky was being sarcastic or if it was actually being kind. She glanced at the photo of the once team seven and felt the tears forming in her eyes. Sighing slightly, she brushed away the tears and began to tie her hitaite securely on her forehead.

"Sakura-chan, are you ready?" her mom's voice drifted from downstairs, "Sakura-chan, it's about time to begin." Sakura bit her lip, not confident if she could pull through the whole event. "Sakura-chan." she heard her mom call again. "Hai. I'm coming." she replied. She tugged at the dress she was wearing and, giving the picture one last glance, she proceeded downstairs.

* * *

Ino looked around worriedly. It was raining. There were no present indications that the sun would be giving an appearance any time soon. The weather really had its way of making things more and more dramatic. The mood was already dark as it is and the rain still decided to fall.

There were only a few people gathered. She had already predicted this. And she had already predicted that the people that were gathered were the kids from their class, some of the sensei, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, the hokage and her assistant, the perverted old man, and some other people that team seven had met in their missions.

Ino's eyes furrowed in slight annoyance as she noticed that a certain pink-haired shinobi had not yet arrived. She cursed slightly but immediately berated herself. 'Even if she promised,' she thought, 'it's still hard for her. And she can't be blamed if she would rather choose to not attend.' She smiled sadly and sighed.

"Ino, it's gonna start soon." Shikamaru called out to her. "Ah, hai…" she replied offhandedly. She looked at the road. No one's coming. She shook her head, "I'll be…" Before she could finish her sentence, she saw the said kunoichi accompanied by her parents.

Smiling a bit, Ino ran to greet them. "Oba-chan, oji-san.." she said, bowing slightly. "Ah.. Ino-chan. Has it started yet?" Sakura's father said warmly. Ino shook her head slightly, "Not yet. But it's going to start very soon." "I see, we must hurry then. Come on, Mayumi." He said motioning to his wife. Sakura's mother nodded and turned to Ino, "well then, Ino-chan. We'll leave Sakura-chan with you." Ino gave Sakura's mother a reassuring smile when she saw that the older woman was worried, "Hai, oba-chan." "Sakura-chan, will you be okay?" the older woman asked the silent kunoichi. The said girl just turned to look at her mother, nodded and replied with a soft 'hai'. Slightly reassured by her daughter's responsiveness, she accepted her husband's hand and was led to their assigned place.

Ino unconsciously let out her breath. She had thought that her friend would once be unresponsive. But, seeing the girl now, she was a bit relieved. Although the fact still remained that the other was so very silent, refusing to speak a word unless spoken to or unless a reply is required, and that her eyes were still a bit dull, Ino could see that her friend's eyes were not as distant and as lifeless as it was the day before. "Come on, Sakura-chan," she said gently as she led the girl to the place of the ceremony.

* * *

There they stood, in front of the black stone. Only a few were gathered. It was not surprising. Most of the villagers still hate the child. Even her predecessor couldn't do anything about it. Tsunade clenched her fists at one particular scene where two men were whispering excitedly to themselves as she was drinking in a bar after hearing the news.

"Hey, did you hear? Something amazing has happened!"

"What?"

"The monster is dead!"

"Really?! No way! Now, our village can once again be peaceful!"

"Isn't it amazing?"

"Yes! But who killed it? Most of the shinobi don't have the courage to do it. It has, after all, been under the protection of the Hokage. Was it Yamamoto of the third ANBU squad? He really did hate that thing since it destroyed his family."

At that point, Tsunade managed to drown the conversation. 'How dare them!' she thought angrily, 'how dare them refer to him as an _it _or as a _thing_!' The Godaime was about to stand and make the two regret that they had said such things when Jiraiya found her and practically dragged her back to the Hokage tower.

Tsunade quickly scanned the people and, seeing that the pink-haired shinobi had finally arrived, decided to start the ceremony.

"We are all gathered here today," she started grimly, "to remember a member of our village. He was a member of the team under the guidance of Hatake Kakashi."

"Just a genin, yet he had high hopes on becoming Konoha's Hokage. Just a genin, yet his determination and resolve were very strong. Just a genin, yet his heart was still for his friends and those whom he hold dear. He has done silly little things that attracted the village's annoyance over the years. His reasons for doing so seemed a bit foolish."

"But who could blame a mere child who doesn't know what else to do? Truth be told, he only wanted to be acknowledged. He only wanted to be seen as him and not as some reminder of some harsh past. And after receiving his hitaite, these foolish pranks had ceased and, instead, he had given his best in all of the missions given him."

"I am sure that those who have gathered here have seen past these quirks and attitudes. Those who have gathered here has seen the true him. Those who have gathered here has seen his light and felt his warmth. So, even if there are only a few of us, I believe that at least one of his wishes has been fulfilled. Today, we honor a great person. A person who has strongly endured a rough life, a person who has inspired and encouraged, a person who has given his all."

"Today, we remember Uzumaki Naruto." Tsunade ended, a few tears escaping from her eyes. And, as if on cue, the rain began to fall a bit harder.

* * *

Sakura closed her eyes as the Hokage began to speak. She didn't want to hear it. But the Hokage's voice was loud, albeit shaky from time to time.

"… he had high hopes on becoming the Hokage…"

Ever since they were kids, he would always make a scene. He would always shout at people, pick a fight with everyone including the adults and do all things imaginable to make everyone mad. And to think that he declared to everyone that he would someday be Hokage. As if a delinquent kid could carry on the task.

The boy would always be in last place and she could never really comprehend why their Iruka-sensei refused to give up on to the boy. They boy really had no hope; failing ninjutsu, not knowing anything about senjutsu, barely passing taijutsu, and not a very reliable member when it comes to teams.

She just couldn't understand why the boy would have such big dreams when he was failing at everything. Can't he just notice it was no use? He had no talents. He had no chance in competing with the other students let alone the other shinobi in the village who are also aspiring for that high regarded position.

Sakura bit her lip. Yet, he declared over and over again that he was going to be the Hokage. 'Baka,' she thought, 'how will you fulfill that now?' A tear escaped from her closed eyes.

"… he only wanted to be acknowledged…"

It had taken Sakura a long time to completely accept the blonde. She didn't even know why she disliked him in the first place. It must be that most of the older villagers have some snide remarks about the boy she saw one time playing alone in the sandbox. And, seeing how the shy, dark haired girl had been scolded for speaking with the blonde, the young Sakura did not dare to approach him.

Why would she? Her parents would get angry at her. Besides, it was easier to conform with everyone else than do the opposite and be hated. But it all changed that time on the bridge while they were waiting for Kakashi-sensei.

Sasuke had left shortly to buy some drinks. She was alone with the said blonde and was a bit irritated for being left alone with the idiot. A couple of older shinobi passed by and took an angry glance at her companion. A mumbled 'monster' was all Sakura could decipher as the adults whispered among themselves.

Frowning, she noticed that the blonde was looking down and had become tense, his fists clenched. When the group has passed, the other looked up again. This time, she noticed that the other's eyes were blank, blue orbs. The pain in those lifeless, blue eyes seemed to cut at Sakura's heart.

Since then, she tried to find out as much as she can about the blonde. And, after hearing from Iruka-sensei what the other had gone through, her opinion of the blonde changed.

"… we remember Uzumaki Naruto…"

Sakura felt someone squeeze her hand. She looked at her companion. Ino had also been crying the duration of the Hokage's speech. Her friend gave her a small smile, trying to comfort her. In return, she answered that smile to reassure her friend that she would be fine.

Looking around, she noticed that everyone else was pretty much crying, though it was a bit hard to notice since the rain had fallen harder.

"He didn't have to die…" she said silently, "he still had so much waiting for him. That request of mine…"

Ino looked sadly at the girl. "It's not your fault," she said again. Sakura turned to her friend, "I know. He would never want me to blame myself." "Yes, you are one of the dearest persons to him. He'd never want to see you sad," Ino agreed, "Now, come on. It's almost your turn."

Sakura saw that everyone was laying flowers on the black stone. She looked down and stared at the single sunflower she was holding. It was her turn now.

'Naruto,' she thought, hoping the message would reach him, 'I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I've said and done in the past. I'm also sorry for asking you to do that selfish request."

She kneeled down near the black stone and placed the flower. 'Forgive me, Naruto-kun. I've always treated you badly. Yet, you still manage to look at me, smile radiantly and call me _Sakura-chan_. I didn't even deserve to ask the request from you.'

She stood up and gazed at Naruto's name. 'You were always the noisy kid, Naruto-kun. Always the one with the failing grades and the annoying pranks. It was also you who had been hated by the villagers, for reasons I don't even know.'

'Yet, you always act like there's nothing troubling you. You've always acted so brightly and smile that goofy smile of yours. Who would have known that behind those you were suffering and crying inside?'

'Who could have known that you're blue eyes the color of the clear, cerulean sky could become so devoid of life? Though you were suffering, you still managed to shine you're light.'

'For everything, Naruto-kun, thank you.'

Glancing at the flower and Naruto's name one last time, Sakura wiped her tears and made her way to her parents.

o0o fin o0o

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A/n: zomg! I really can't bear it if Naruto would die. And while I was thinking, what Tsunade was supposed to be saying… I was crying. Waaah! /ehem/ So, anyway, I think the last part's kinda crappy, even for my standards. The original story was a bit different and was supposed to be just a drabble but…. /sighs/ so anyway, what do you think?? Please review! nn

Edit: lol I edited some parts. Some had wrong punctuations and grammar and such. Lol so, anyway, I hope I corrected all of it. I tend to miss some things even if I checked over and over again. Haha please review, k?


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